The World Was Wide Enough
by Xx.Kari.Ry.xX
Summary: He didn't love many things, Castiel had noticed, but what he did love, he did so with all his heart. As Castiel looks at Dean now, so hurt and broken, bloodied and beaten by Castiel's own hand, he can't help but look upon Dean in wonder.
1. That Would Be Enough

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural, its characters, or its plot. If I did, Destiel would be canon and Bobby and Charlie would still be alive. I also don't own Hamilton: An American Musical, its songs, or its lyrics. If I did, it wouldn't be nearly as good as it is now, because I'm not that talented.**

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"I don't pretend to know the challenges you're facing, the worlds you keep erasing and creating in your mind. But I'm not afraid… If I could grant you peace of mind… That would be enough."

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Castiel has never been one to be easily impressed. He is an angel of the Lord for Heaven's sake, there isn't any need for him to be impressed by humans or their insignificant creations. After all, his Father was the one who had created the humans in the first place. Angels, however, were created to love and defend Heaven and their Father so it makes sense, to Castiel, that angels can feel love. Or, more accurately, can feel what others love.

When Castiel touched Dean Winchester's soul for the first time, he, despite the time constraint, had to pause and simply take in the amount of love that he felt emanating from this human soul. Castiel could clearly see, and feel, why Dean Winchester was the Righteous Man. He didn't love many things, Castiel had noticed, but what he did love, he did so so strongly. Castiel had never felt such an emotion from anyone. Sure, angels loved their Father but, Castiel had mused, angels felt something closer to devotion than love, if Dean Winchester's emotions were to be believed.

As Castiel looks at Dean now, so hurt and broken, bloodied and beaten by Castiel's own hand, he can't help but look upon Dean in wonder. With every blow, every point of contact, Castiel feels Dean's love. His love for his brother, for Bobby Singer, for Jo and Ellen Harvelle, for Castiel. Dean is nearly unconscious from Castiel's hand and Dean still loves him.

Castiel can think of nothing else long after he parts from Dean. He knew that Dean loved fiercely and deeply and that his loyalty, once given, was unshakable. He just hadn't known that Dean was so loyal to him. That Dean loved him. He still can't really believe it. But still, Castiel says nothing. Dean has more important things to worry about and Castiel would only be a distraction. In Stull Cemetery, with Dean, Bobby, Lucifer in Sam's body, and Michael in Adam's, Castiel holds his tongue. One look at Dean is all it takes for Castiel to gather the courage to banish Michael with holy fire. He cannot let Dean be ruined by Michael. He simply can't. When Castiel is brought back by the power of his Father, he heals Dean, of course he does. When he sees Dean's agony at losing Bobby, Castiel has to bring him back. He has no choice. Deciding to leave Dean and try to bring order to Heaven is one of the most difficult decisions that he's had to make but it must be done. Dean deserves a life without chaos. He deserves a family, a stable home, a normal life. That cannot be achieved with an angel imposing upon him. Castiel, however, can't just let Dean remain unprotected (though, he was sure, Dean would be cross to hear Castiel think as much) so Castiel gets Sam back. He places Sam in front of Lisa's house so he can join Dean. Castiel, secure in the knowledge that Dean will be safe and happy, ascends to Heaven to sort out a new order.

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 **A/N: Hey guys, I know I haven't updated in way too long but I swear, none of my stories are abandoned. I WILL update. I'm writing for all of them, I'm just doing it all at once. I've marked this as complete because I don't know if I'll write another chapter or not. I have one in the works from Dean's POV that picks up right at s6ep1 but I don't know if I'll finish it or not.**

 **Please review, even if it's just to point out a typo.**

 **Live Long and Prosper,**

 **Karia**


	2. Wait For It

"Death doesn't discriminate between the sinners and the saints. It takes and it takes and it takes and we keep living anyway. We rise and we fall and we break and we make our mistakes and if there's a reason I'm still alive when everyone who loves me has died, I'm willing to wait for it."

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Dean is happy.

He has Lisa and Ben. He has a job and a truck and a house. He has friends that greet him by name and he picks up Ben from school every day. Dean goes grocery shopping every Sunday and takes Lisa out to dinner. Dean teaches Ben how to fix cars and he helps Lisa remodel the house so she doesn't waste money on a contractor.

Dean is _happy_.

Except that Dean misses Sam. He misses Cas. He even misses Bobby because Bobby had all but stopped talking to him now, probably because he'd finally gotten tired of Dean. Dean had everything he'd ever dreamed of, he _finally_ had his apple-pie life. So why couldn't he stop praying to Castiel every night? Why did he still, after a whole year, miss Sammy so much that it physically _hurts_?

Dean hasn't been happy for a long time.

He's restless. He wants to find a way to get Sam back. He wants Cas to answer his prayers. He wants to stop being so paranoid. Dean locks every door and window every night. Devil's traps are hidden under the brand new carpet that he installed. At least two in every room and another in every doorway. Dean and Lisa's room has four. Ben's has six.

When strange things start happening in their neighbourhood, screams, claw marks, Dean can't just leave it alone. Wildly hallucinating, Dean sees Azazel and, strangely enough, Sam, before fake-Sam knocks him out. When he wakes up, Dean can't decide whether or not he passed out or was actually knocked out. Sam appears and Dean can't breathe.

Sam reveals he's been back for a year. An entire year. Dean wants to be pissed. Hell, he is pissed. But he also realises that even Sam wouldn't leave him with no contact for an entire year. Yes, he did it for Stanford but that was different. That was school. That was to get away from Dad, not from Dean.

Something is wrong with his little brother and Dean will find out what it is.

In the meantime, however, he'll do everything he can to keep Sam, Lisa, and Ben safe. Even from his own relatives. His hunter relatives. His _mother's_ hunter relatives. Dean still has to come to terms with the fact that his mother was a hunter. But Dean pushes that aside, for now, to help deal with the Djinn.

Sam wants him to come back to hunting and Dean is tempted to say yes. He's wanted this since his brother got trapped in the cage with Lucifer. Dean, however, has Lisa and Ben to think about. He can't just up and leave them. He loves Ben. He might even love Lisa. He can't just up and go and leave them alone and unprotected. Sure, Lisa's a badass woman, but she's nothing against a demon, or an angel, or anything else that might pop up looking for a fight. So Dean declines. He promises to stay in touch with Sam but wonders how long that will last. Sam is different. Dean knows that being in the cage with Lucifer and Michael, even for that short amount of time, has to have messed him up but this… Dean isn't sure but he won't let his little brother down. Not this time.

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 **A/N: So, I finished this before I thought I would so you get this now. I don't have any more planned for this but if inspiration strikes, I'll add more. This story is also over on Archive Of Our Own under XxKariRyxX1 if you prefer that site.**

 **Please review**

 **Live Long and Prosper,**

 **-Karia**


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